Tilt actuated circuit breaker



Oct. 9, 1956 o. R. VALDES TILT ACTUATED CIRCUIT BREAKER 4 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed April 1, 1955 IN VEN TOR. Oar: Euo \ZAMos \IALDES ATT QNEYS Oct 9,1956 o. R. VALDES TILT ACTUATED CIRCUIT BREAKER 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledApril 1, 1955 IN V EN TOR. O12 F'ELIO EAMos. VALUES %%W, WW 9m ATTOEMEYSOct. 9, 1956 V s 2,766,346

TILT ACTUATED CIRCUIT BREAKER Filed April 1, 1955 4 Shts-Sheet s Si -1 g.4

FIG. 5

IN V EN TOR. 0Q FE uo QAmos VA LDES ATTOQ H EYS United States PatentTILT ACTUATED CIRCUIT BREAKER Orfelio Ramos Valdes, Santa Clara, CubaApplication April 1, 1955, Serial No. 498,611 3 Claims. (Cl. 200-6152)This invention relates to a tilt actuated circuit breaker and has forits primary object to discontinue the flow of electrical energy from abattery through the ignition system of a motor driven vehicle when thevehicle tilts beyond a predetermined angle to the horizontal.

Another object is to eliminate the danger of fire and to discontinue theoperation of the engine of the vehicle either through the impact of thevehicle against another objector the tilting of the vehicle beyond apredetermined angle to the horizontal.

The above and other objects may be attained by employing this inventionwhich embodies among its features a pair of contact arms mountedintermediate their ends to move in intersecting arcuate paths, a contactmounted adjacent one end of said pair of contact arms to advance in arectilinear path which intersects the arcuate paths, spring meansmounted adjacent said arms and engaging the contact for retracting itrelative to said contact arms, a wedge mounted adjacent the contact armsfor advance therebetween into wedging engagement therewith to cause saidarms to move in their arcuate paths and frictionally engage the contactand hold it projected against the effort of the spring, yielding meansmounted adjacent the arms and engaging the wedge for retracting itrelative to the aims, and a tilt released latch mounted adjacent thewedge for engaging it and holding it advanced against the effort of theyielding means.

Other features include triggers mounted adjacent opposite ends of thewedge and operatively connected to the latch for releasing said latchwhen the angle of the circuit breaker attains a predetermined value, aball guide mounted below the contact, a hump intermediate the ends ofthe ball guide, a ball within the ball guide for movement toward one endthereof and over the hump when the circuit breaker tilts beyond apredetermined angle, a trigger mounted adjacent the ball guide andintersecting the path of movement of the ball as it moves over the hump,and said trigger being operatively connected to the latch for releasingit upon engagement of the trigger by the ball.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a frame of a vehicle,showing the battery mounted thereon and this improved tilt actuatedcircuit breaker mounted on the frame adjacent the battery;

Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing the manner in which the circuitbreaker is connected into the electrical circuit of a conventional motorvehicle;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, showing the circuit breakeractuated upon the tilt of the vehicle;

Figure 4 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken substantially onthe line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional View taken on the line 55 of Figure 4;

'Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line66 of Figure 5;

substantially Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view takensubstantially on the line 7-7 of Figure 5;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken substantially onthe line 8-8 of Figure 5; and

Figure 9 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional View taken substantially onthe line 9-9 of Figure 5.

Referring to the drawings in detail, this improved circuit breakerdesignated generally 10 comprises a sup porting panel 12 which isadapted to be bolted or otherwise fixed to the frame F of the vehicleadjacent the battery B thereof. Carried by the supporting panel andextending perpendicularly outwardly therefrom is a main panel 14carrying adjacent its upper edge a bracket designated generally 16 whichcomprises spaced parallel substantially horizontally extending ears 18which are pierced with aligning openings 20 and 22 for the reception ofpivot pins 24 and 26, respectively, the purpose of which willhereinafter appear. Carried by the bed plate and projecting outwardlytherefrom in spaced relation to the ears 18 are guides 28 havingaligning openings 30 extending therethrough which lie on an axis whichextends above and between the pivot pins 24 and 26. The guides 28 areconstructed of nonconducting material.

Pivotally mounted intermediate their ends for rocking movement on thepivot pins 24 and 26, respectively are contact arms 32 and 34, the upperends 36 and 38, respectively, of which define contact terminals whichare adapted to frictionally engage the contact to be more fullyhereinafter described. The extensions 36 and 38, like the arms 32 and34, move in intersecting arcuate paths about the pivots 24 and 26,respectively, and mounted for longitudinal sliding movement in theopenings 30 of the guides 28 is a contact 40 carrying an axial extension42 which, when the contact 40 is advanced, extends between theextensions 36 and 38 into frictional contact therewith, as will be morefully hereinafter de scribed. Carried by the contact 40 and extendingoutwardly therefrom adjacent the end thereof remote from the extension42 is a cross pin 44 against which a washer 46 bears, and encircling thecontact 40 between the washer 46 and an adjacent supporting guide 28 isa compression coil spring 48 which, when the contact arms 32 and 34 hangfree, retract the extension 42 from its position between the extensions36 and 38 of the contact arms 32 and 34, respectively. A suitableterminal 50 is carried by the contact 40 and is connected through themedium of a conventional flexible cable 52 to one terminal of thebattery B of the vehicle. It will be understood, of course, that thesupporting guides 28 are constructed of a non-conducting material sothat ground between the battery B and the frame P will be establishedonly when the extension 42 projects between the extensions 36 and 38 ofthe contact arms 32 and 34. Carried by the contact arm 34 and extendinglaterally outwardly therefrom is a contact car 54 which, as illustratedin the drawings, is connected through a conventional flexible cable 56to ground G.

Secured to the main panel 14 in any suitable manner below the guides 28is a frame 58 carrying vertically spaced outwardly extending supportingarms 60 on which is mounted remote from the panel 14 a guide blockdesignated generally 62 which comprises a tubular body 64 which lies inspaced parallel relation to the longitudinal axis of the contact 40 andcarries adjacent its end remote from the contact arms 32 and 34 anupwardly extending tubular guide 66, the lower end of which opensthrough and communicates with the interior of the guide 64. The guide 66is provided intermediate its ends with an elongated longitudinalextending slot 68, the purpose of which will hereinafter appear.

A transversely extending partition wall 70 is carried by thetubularguide 64 to define a stop for a spring to be more fully hereinafterdescribed and formed in the partition wall 70 in axial alignment withthe tubular body 64 is an opening 72. A plunger rod 74 is slidablymounted in the opening 72 and carries intermediate its ends an outwardlyextending annular guide '76 which cooperates with the wall of theopening '72 in guiding the longitudinal motion of the plunger '74 withinthe tubular body 64. Carried by the plunger 74 and extending outwardlytherefrom adjacent the end thereof remote from the contact arms 32 and34 is a head 73, the purpose of which will hereinafter appear.Encircling the end of the plunger rod '74 remote from the head '73 is awedge block having oppositely disposed flat faces which converge as theyapproach the end of the plunger rod 74 remote from the head 73 to definewedge faces 32 which are adapted to be projected between the arms 32 and3d remote from the extensions 36 and 38 in order to rock said arms 32and 34 about their pivots 2 and 26 into frictional contact with theextension 42 on the contact A compression coil spring 84 encircles theplunger rod '74 between the partition 7 2 and the stop '76 to exertretractive effort on the plunger rod 74 in a direction to extract thewedge block 311 from its position between the arms 32 and Mounted forvertical sliding movement in the guide is a latch member 36 carryingintermediate its ends a lateraliy extending lug 38 which extendsoutwardly "hrough the slot 63 to define actuating means by which helatch may be moved longitudinally in the guide as? did are engagementwith the stop 76 to hold the t e advanced between the arms 32 and 34against 6b is Z1 la'eral extension 92 having an elongated slot 94extending therethrough which receives the operating lug 88 of the latch36. Carried by and extending outwardly from opposite sides of the upperend 96 of the rock arm ht are spherical studs 93 and 1110 over which arefitted respectively sockets 1632 and 1M. Threadedly engaged with thesocket 1152 and extending outwardly therefrom toward the panel 12 is anactuating link 1%, while a similar actuating link 1118 is connected tothe socket 11M and extends outardly therefrom in a direction oppositethe link 106.

A bracket arm 11% is carried by the panel 12 and pivotally mounted as at112 on said bracket arm is a depending trig er 114, the upper end 116 ofwhich receives the end of the link 111% remote from the socket 102, aswill be readily understood upon reference to Figure 5. Mounted in thebracket 11?: carried by the panel 14 remote from the bracket 110 is apivot pin 12th on which is mountec for swinging movement about the axisof the pivot a trigger 122 and formed in the trigger 122 adjacent itsupper end is an opening 124 for the reception of the link 1%. Aretractile coil spring 126 is connected one end to the trigger 114 andat its opposite end to the trigger 122 below the pivots 112 and 1120,respectively, to yieldingly urge the lower ends of the triggers 114 12;:toward one another.

As by straps 128, 131i, 132 and 134, is a ball guide designatedgenerally 136 which comprises an undulated tubular body 133 providedintermediate its ends with humps 14-9 and 142 defining between saidhumps and adjacent ends of the ball guide tubular bodies 144 and 146which slope downwardly as they approach the ends or" the tube. Thedownardly inclined portions 144 and 146 of the tubular body 136 areprovided respectively with slots 148 and 154) which extendlongitudinally to receive any suitable instrument by which a ball 152may be moved up one or the other of the inclined portions 1M and 146over the respective hump 140 or 142 to rest in the ball guide 136substantially midway between opposite ends thereof. As illustrated, thetriggers 114 and 122 extend respectively across the opposite ends of theball guide 136 so that when the device is tilted in either direction toan extent sufiicient to cause the ball 152 to ride over an adjacenthump, the ball will engage a trigger to interrupt the flow of electricalenergy between the contact arms 32 and 374 and the contact 4%. Suitableretractile coil springs 154 and 156 are anchored respectively to thelinks 1113 and 106 and to the straps 123 and 134 to exert downward pullon the links and to assist in holding the triggers 114 and 122 in thepath of movement of the ball 152 when it rides over either of the humpsor 142.

Carried by the panel 12 and extending outwardly therefrom is a bracket1558 carrying a pivot 16%, the axis of which lies perpendicular to theaxes of the pivots 112 and 12A and pivotally supported on the pivot 16%)is a trigger 162 which is connected through the medium of a link 16 1 toone arm 166 of a bell crank lever designated generally 168 which ismounted on the panel 14 to move about a vertical axis. The opposite arm170 of the bell crank lever 163 is connected through the medium of alink 172 which is pivotally connected to the lock lever 91 adjacent thelower end thereof, as illustrated at 174.

Mounted on the panel 12 as by straps 176 is a ball guide designatedgenerally 178 comprising a tubular body having a hump 132 intermediateits ends; and provided adjacent one end with an elongated longitudinalslot 134. As illustrated in the drawings, the trigger 162 extends acrossone open end of the tubular ball guide 178, while the opposite end ofsaid ball guide is closed by a wall of the panel 12. A retractile coilspring 182 is connected at one end to the trigger 162 and at itsopposite end to the panel 112 so as to exert yielding effort on thetrigger 12 and keep it yieldingly advanced into contact with theadjacent end of the ball guide 178. A ball 18% is mounted in the ballguide 178 and by extending an instrument through the slot 184, the ballmay be passed over the hump 182 to rest against the closed end of theball guide 1'78. Obviously, however, when the device tilts to the left,as illustrated in Figure 6, the ball 188 will pass over the hump 182 androll down the ball guide toward the trigger 162 to operate the same.

Carried by the panel 14 and extending outwardly therefrom intermediateits ends are longitudinally spaced teeth 191 which are adapted to beengaged by a suitable instrument and to serve as a fulcrum for saidinstrument in forcing the plunger 74 forward to cause the inclined faces82 of the wedge 86 to move the arms 32 and 34 outwardly and theextensions 36 and 38 into frictional contact with the extension 42 onthe contact 40.

In the preferred form of the invention, the arms 32 and 34 are providedadjacent their ends remote from the extensions 36 and 38 with openings1% in which steel balls 192 are seated and retained by ball retainers194. These balls are engaged by the oppositely tapered faces 82 of thewedge 81 and serve to facilitate the entrance of the wedge into thespace between the contact arms 32 and 34 when the extensions 36 and 38are forced into frictional contact with the extension 42 on the contact40.

In use, the circuit breaker 10 is connected to the frame F of a vehicle,as suggested in Figure 1, and the cable 52 is connected to one terminalof the battery B, while the cable 56 is grounded to the frame F. Toestablish contact between the ground G and the battery B, the contact 40is moved to the left when viewed in Figure 5 so that the extension 42thereof projects between the extensions 36 and 38 of the contact arms 32and 34. By so moving the contact 40, the spring 43 will be compressed toexercise yielding effort on the contact 40 in a direction to withdraw itfrom its position between the contact extensions 36 and 38. in order tohold the contact 40 in its projected position, an instrument such as ascrew driver is engaged with one of the lugs or teeth 191 and by usingsaid tooth as a fulcrum, the shank of the instrument will engage thehead 78 of the plunger 74 to force the wedge 80 into contact with theballs 192 and force the lower ends of the contact arms 32 and 34outwardly whereby the extensions 36 and 38 will be frictionally engagedwith the contact extension 42 to hold the contact 4% projected againstthe effort of the spring 48. As the plunger 74 is advanced to move thewedge 80 into contact with the balls 192, the latch 86 will drop underthe influence of the spring 126 downwardly behind the stop 76 to holdthe wedge 8t projected. Upon the tilting of the device in eitherdirection, as viewed from Figure 5, beyond a predetermined angle, theball 152 will roll over a hump and engage a trigger 122 which will dropthe rock arm 90 and lift the latch 86 out of engagement with the stop76. This will permit the spring 84 to retract the plunger 74 relative tothe contact arms 32 and 34 to withdraw the wedge 80 from its positiontherebetween, thus releasing any frictional contact of the extensions 36and 38 from the extension 42 of the contact 40. This will permit thecontact 40 to move under the influence of the spring 48 so as to breakany electrical contact between the contact 49 and the contact arms 32and 34. In this way, the connection of the battery B to ground is brokenand any supply of electrical energy to any of the elements of thevehicle is discontinued. Obviously, in resetting the device, the contact40 is moved against the efiort of the spring 48 to again project theextension 42 between the contact extensions 36 and 38 of the contactarms 32 and 34 and by forcing the head 78 against the effort of thespring 84-, the wedge 80 will again be driven between the contact arms32 and 34 and held by the latch 86.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferredembodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that minor changesin the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts maybe resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A tilt actuated circuit breaker comprising a pair of contact armsmounted intermediate their ends to move in intersecting arcuate paths, acontact mounted adjacent one end of said pair of contact arms to advancein a rectilinear path which intersects the arcuate paths, spring meansmounted adjacent said arms and engaging the contact for retracting itrelative to said contact arms, a wedge mounted adjacent the contact armsfor advance therebetween into wedging engagement therewith to cause saidarms to move in their arcuate paths and frictionally engage the contactand hold it projected against the effort of the spring yielding meansmounted adjacent the arms and engaging the wedge for retracting itrelative to the arms, and a tilt released latch mounted adjacent the 6wedge for engaging it and holding it advanced against the etfort of theyielding means.

2. A tilt actuated circuit breaker comprising a pair of contact armsmounted intermediate their ends to move in intersecting arcuate paths, acontact mounted adjacent one end of said pair of contact arms to advancein a rectilinear path which intersects the arcuate paths, spring meansmounted adjacent said arms and engaging the contact for retracting itrelative to said contact arms, a wedge mounted adjacent the contact armsfor advance therebetween into wedging engagement therewith to cause saidarms to move in their arcuate paths and frictionally engage the contactand hold it projected against the effort of the spring yielding meansmounted adjacent the arms and engaging the wedge for retracting itrelative to the arms, a latch mounted adjacent the wedge for engagingand holding it advanced against the effort of the yielding means, andtriggers mounted adjacent opposite ends of the wedge and operativelyconnected to the latch for releasing said latch when the angle of thecircuit breaker attains a predetermined value.

3. A tilt actuated circuit breaker comprising a pair of contact armsmounted intermediate their ends to move in intersecting arcuate paths, acontact mounted adjacent one end of said pair of contact arms to advancein a rectilinear path which intersects the arcuate paths, spring meansmounted adjacent said arms and engaging the contact for retracting itrelative to said contact arms, a wedge mounted adjacent the contact armsfor advance therebetween into wedging engagement therewith to cause saidarms to move in their arcuate paths and frictionally engage the contactand hold it projected against the effort of the spring yielding meansmounted adjacent the arms and engaging the wedge for retracting itrelative to the arms, a latch mounted adjacent the wedge for engagingand holding it advanced against the eitort of the yielding means, a ballguide mounted below the contact, a hump intermediate the ends of theball guide, a ball within the ball guide for movement toward one endthereof and over the hump when the circuit breaker tilts beyond apredetermined angle to the horizontal, a trigger mounted adjacent theball guide and intersecting the path of movement of the ball as it movesover the hump, and said trigger being operatively connected to the latchfor releasing it upon engagement of the trigger by the ball.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,692,155 Brownell Nov. 20, 1928 2,037,779 Granor Apr. 21, 19362,644,051 Maloot June 30, 1953

